Methods to securely bind an encryption key to a storage device

Abstract

Embodiments of methods to securely bind a disk cache encryption key to a cache device are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, in a processing system, a disk status of a hard disk drive arranged to cache data to a solid-state drive cache system;   reading a cache key from a disk location in the hard disk drive when the disk status is unlocked;   unlocking the solid-state drive cache system using the cache key; and   executing a boot sequence in the processing system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising authenticating the cache key read from the hard disk drive. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising limiting a function of the solid-state drive cache system before authenticating the cache key. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising maintaining a limited function of the solid state drive cache system when an authenticity of the cache key is false. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising when an authenticity of the cache key is true, setting the cache key in the solid-state drive cache system for encryption of writes to the solid-state cache system or for decryption of reads from the solid-state cache system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising authenticating the cache key responsive to a power cycle of the processing system, a time period, a usage volume for writes to or reads from the solid-state cache system or a random event. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising determining whether the hard disk drive is unlocked by intercepting disk read/write accesses to the hard disk drive, the unlocked status based on the read/write accesses indicating that the hard disk drive is accessible. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising requesting a confirmation key to authenticate a user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the solid-state drive cache system including one or more of NAND flash memory devices or phase change memory devices. 
     
     
         10 . At least one machine readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed on a system cause the system to:
 determine, in a processing system, a disk status of a hard disk drive arranged to cache data to a solid-state drive cache system;   read a cache key from a disk location in the hard disk drive when the disk status is unlocked;   unlock the solid-state drive cache system using the cache key; and   execute a boot sequence in the processing system.   
     
     
         11 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 10 , comprising the instructions to also cause the system to authenticate the cache key read from the hard disk drive. 
     
     
         12 . The at least one machine readable medium  claim 11 , comprising the instructions to also cause the system to limit a function of the solid-state drive cache system before authenticating the cache key. 
     
     
         13 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 12 , comprising the instructions to also cause the system to maintain a limited function of the solid state drive cache system when an authenticity of the cache key is false. 
     
     
         14 . The at least one machine readable medium  claim 11 , comprising when an authenticity of the cache key is true, the instructions to also cause the system to set the cache key in the solid-state drive cache system for encryption of writes to the solid-state cache system or for decryption of reads from the solid-state cache system. 
     
     
         15 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 11 , comprising the instructions to also cause the system to authenticate the cache key responsive to a power cycle of the processing system, a time period, a usage volume for writes to or reads from the solid-state cache system or a random event. 
     
     
         16 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 10 , comprising the instructions to also cause the system to determine whether the hard disk drive is unlocked by intercepting disk read/write accesses to the hard disk drive, the unlocked status based on the read/write accesses indicating that the hard disk drive is accessible. 
     
     
         17 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 10 , comprising the instructions to also cause the system to request a confirmation key to authenticate a user. 
     
     
         18 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 10 , comprising the solid-state drive cache system including one or more NAND flash memory devices or phase change memory devices.